Messages posted by: GUY

Corporal Townsend wounded in action (remaining on duty) 8.11.1942 (WO 417/54)
Corporal Townsend Wounded in action 26.2.1943 WO 417/58
Lance Sergeant Townsend dies as result of an accident attached to 30th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry 4.10.1943 (WO 417/73)

Pete,
Mason died of an illness serving in East Africa. (WO417/63)

'DIED ON SERVICE IN EAST AFRICA' Motherwell Times 2nd July 1943

Stephen,
Confirmation of the accident and cause of death.

Harry Calder may have emigrated to Canada, it may explain the Lost Legion entry?
He is listed on a passenger manifest for a ship bound for Montreal in 1954. His occupation is listed as mining.

Died Whilst Prisoner in Japanese Hands WO 417/71

'TEWKESBURY PRISONER DIES' Gloucestershire Echo 7th January 1944

The 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment fought several rear-guard actions in the retreat from Burma thorughout March-May 1942.

14404860 Pte. James Frederick BEECH Royal Sussex Regiment & 5 Commando

Wounded in action 31.1.1945 serving with 5 Commando WO 417/88
Died 5.8.1945 India, attached to H.Q. 3 S.S. Brigade (WO 417/96)

A member of the Royal Sussex Regiment, Private J.F. Beech, reported by the War Office to have died a prisoner of war in Japanese hands, died in Poona Hospital, India, a victim of infantile paralysis.

West Sussex County Tmes 17th May 1946

Pete,

Died Result of Accident WO 417/49

Pete,

Died Result of Accident WO 417/41

Pete,

Died Result of Accident WO 417/53

Pete,

'PETERHEAD CORPORAL IS SAFE' Aberdeen Evening Express Saturday 22nd September 1951

'EX-P.O.W. HOME FROM KOREA' Dundee Courier 16th October 1953

Guy

11000189 RUSKIN Leonard James Gunner Royal Artillery

Trevor,

Len was still with B Troop prior to D-Day, he is in the photograph at Bexhill, May 1944.

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/troop+photos/b+trp/4Cdo+BTroop.jpg.html

He was wounded in action in Normandy on the 8th June 1944.

The vehicle behind the Lance Corporal appears to be an Austin Champ. It was in production from 1951-1956 and remained with the British Army until 1968.

The Champ cost far more than the Land Rover, and was never as popular with troops, probably because the Landrover with its enclosed cab offered better protection from the elements and greater flexibility in use. With the reduction in size of the post-war army, many Champs were consigned to bulk vehicle storage and those employed in the Regular Army had relatively short careers before being redeployed to the Territorial Army. In the mid-1960s a decision was taken to withdraw the type from service completely, with all military Champs being sold off by 1968.

First name(s) Dean
Last name Shams
Sex Male
Birth year 1961
Birth date 16 Jan 1961
Death year 1986
Registration year -
Place U S A
Country United States
Type Armed Forces
Source Gro Death Abroad Indices (1966 To 1994)
Records year range 1986
Archive reference DABR
Volume F (BRITISH ARMED FORCES - ARMY, ROYAL AIR FORCE AND ROYAL NAVY)
Page 84
Line number 39

5946317 EDWARDS Stanley Edward L/Cpl. 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment & No.3 Commando
Born December 1907 (?) Lambeth, London.
He enlisted in the Beds & Herts Regiment on 11th January 1926 at Canterbury aged 18 years and 14 days. His trade on enlistment was listed as a baker.
He was transferred to the Reserves on the 29th November 1933.
He would have rejoined the Regiment from the Reserves in 1939.
The caption on the photograph would suggest that Stanley served with 2 Beds & Herts in Belgium and France (1.10.1939 - 1.6.1940)
The majority of the 2 Beds & Herts were evacuated from Dunkirk on the 1st June 1940.
A cadre of men from the 2 Beds & Herts were among the first volunteers for No.3 Commando when it formed in July 1940.

There are no record of how long Stanley served with 3 Commando.
He was transferred to the Somerset Light Infantry on 7th September 1944.

The dates that Stanley served with 3 Commando and evidence of any Airborne connection would be confirmed by obtaining a copy of his service records.

Richard ODAMS
8th October 1952 West Hartlepool, Durham - 3Q 1981 Norwich Outer, Norfolk